Geoff Gillespie (Sabre)

 

Sabre were formed in the spring of 1980 by school mates Geoff Gillespie and Allan Angold. They recorded a three-song demo tape in 1981 and the single Miracle Man / On the Loose in 1983. The band folded in late 1983. We had a chat with bass player Geoff Gillespie about this underrated band.

Q. - Hello Geoff! Tell us a bit about the beginning of Sabre, how did it all start? How did you get in touch with the other members?

Allan the drummer and I went to school together (along with Tank`s Algy Ward) and had played in bands with each other since our early teens. We hooked up with guitarists Alan ‘bill‘ Beschi and Nick Fusco via a Melody Maker ad - that's how most bands came together back in the day. Original vocalist Nick Pyatt came via auditions.

Q. - Who were your principal influences at that time?

Oh, pretty much the regular stuff for the time. Purple, Zeppelin, a bit of Sabbath and a large chunk of Thin Lizzy. Some of the stuff written but never professionally recorded like Wounded Heart and Fighting Talk was very twin guitar, VERY Lizzy...`

Q. - Were the 1980 demo, with Nick Pyatt on vocals, your very first recordings with Sabre? What memories do you keep from these recording seasons?

Yes, they were. They were very rough recordings but, to be honest, they were totally representative of where the band was at that particular time. The guy who engineered it - Pete someone-or-another as I recall - was a mate of Nick Fusco‘s and he had this 8 track studio in the front and back room of a terraced house in - and I'm struggling here! - Kilburn. People were kind enough to say nice things about the demo once it was done, so it was what it was...

Q. - How was it the heavy metal scene in Croydon? Did you play regularly back then? Or was it hard for a heavy metal band to be booked in the area at that time?

There wasn't that much of a scene really. We played The Star Hotel in Broad Green a few times and The Red Deer in South Croydon a couple of times but we also played in North London a bit. We even played a late show at Ronnie Scott‘s Jazz Club in London‘s West End! Don't really know what that was all about, to be honest. We gigged as often as possible but it wasn't easy...

Q. - Do you recall the songs you were playing at the beginning? Did you play any covers too?

Funny that, we never did any covers that I can remember. The set featured the aforementioned Wounded Heart and Fighting Talk along with Miracle Man, On The Loose and Can You Feel It from the demo, Cry To The Wind, Red Light Lover and the big, Lizzy like rock ballad Sunken Ships.

Q. - Rob Brown (aka Chad Brown) replaced Nick, how did that happen?

Nick‘s drinking got way out of hand and he was becoming unreliable. He was 'asked' to leave and we started advertising for a new singer. Rob had an extraordinary voice and we would have loved to have hung on to him. He was travelling up from Dorset every week for rehearsals and it was just too much for him. A few years later, I called on him again when the band I had formed post Sabre – Snowblind – was in need of a voice for our first demos. As expected, he did an exemplary job but again we were unable to hang on to him as he was involved with a project Janic Gers was putting together. Eventually Lionheart came knocking and the rest, as they say....

Q. - Sabre had a different approach with John Ward, were you trying to find a new sound?

No, I can't honestly say that we were. If it sounded in any way different to how the band had sounded before, that was entirely accidental. John was a lovely guy but I would have to say that he never really fitted in with the core of the band. He had a pretty good voice but that was really all there was to it...

Q. - How was the single "Miracle Man" received by the fans? Did it have airplay on radio stations?

It was received quite well by fans and media alike and I still get to sign copies even now. I live in Tokyo now and when I first arrived here, it was a thrill to see copies hanging on the walls of record stores here with £30.00 plus price tags attached. As for radio play, doubtful, I would have to say. We did get some decent press off the back of it, but that was about it.

Q. - Did you try to approach a record deal at that time?

No, we didn't. We had hoped that Neat would have picked up the option on more stuff. My one regret from that time is that we didn't do more recording, we really should have. So many really good songs just never got to be heard. There is a really average sounding rehearsal recording on the 'Roar To The Core' disc but most of it only has one guitar on it – can't remember why but Nick Fusco was absent from that rehearsal. Other than those dodgy recordings, thought, there's no evidence that these songs ever existed. And that's a shame...

Q. - When did "Sabre" split up exactly? What happened that lead to the split?

To be frank with you, my apathy led to the band folding. You must understand that I had been the engine of the band, I did all of the practical stuff – contacting labels and magazines, booking gigs etc. It's in my nature, I suppose I'm a bit of a control freak. Over a period of time, I started to think there was no point continuing with the band and we just stopped any activity. In effect, there was no split up...just a cessation of activities.

Q. - Did you stay in touch with each other’s all over the years?

Allan and I are still best friends – he's actually married to my wife's best friend! - and whenever I'm home in the UK, we get together. Allan and I hooked up one evening with 'Bill' Beschi in a pub in London Bridge and I know Allan, 'Bill' and Nick got together again once after that but I haven't seen Nick in many years. They asked why the band split...and I didn't really have an answer!

Q. - How do you feel about "Cry To The Wind" being very popular till these days?

Yes, that's interesting isn't it? It has become a bit of a cult track. I just wish we had been able to spend a bit more time recoding it. It was recorded at the end of the session at Neat's Impulse studio – interestingly enough, Conrad 'Cronos' Lant was the tape op on the session. Cry To The Wind was as heavy as Sabre got and it was ALWAYS great fun to play live...

Q. - Are you happy with the edition of the compilation "Roar To The Core", by Majestic Rock (2005)? What do you think of it?

Well, Majestic Rock was my label, I co-ran it with a guy called Adrian Clay, so I put it together. What do I think of it? It is what it is. We had put out an album of demos and rehearsal tracks by Steve Grimmett's band prior to Grim Reaper, Medusa, and I thought that I could do something similar with the Sabre recordings. To be honest, it isn't great but I think that it has some historical value...

Q. - What other projects did you have after "Sabre", tell us a bit about it too.

Post Sabre, I joined a band called Static that evolved into Snowblind, a more melodic, Pomp/ AOR act in keeping with the changing trends at the time. We released an album on Mausoleum records that I re-issued on CD through Majestic Rock. The album was a compromise, we were dumb enough to let the producer pretty much tell us what we were going to record and because of this, a lot of good songs didn't get recorded. We were a hard-working band, we gigged a hell of a lot, and those gigs made us a tight band. The band broke up in 1988 and I stopped playing at that time.

I then had a career in the record industry as a hard rock/heavy metal promotions man at Polygram, WEA and Island. In that time, I was lucky enough to work with most of the biggest bands in the world – Metallica, Slayer, Dio, Guns N' Roses....the list goes on. I actually worked with Lars Ulrich putting together the '79 Revisted album for Polygram. Lars and I had history dating back to his time in London in the early eighties. I'm now pretty much done with all of that, though I do some consultancy work for a label here in Japan and I have been involved in bringing some bands to Japan for shows – Angel Witch, Diamond Head and Tank to name a few.

Q. - Do you still keep an eye to the heavy metal or hard rock scene? Is there any band that you still like to listen?

I listen almost exclusively to seventies and eighties music and so I have very little idea what's going on now. I do catch up with new releases by the classic acts – Priest, Maiden, Metallica etc. - but other than that, not so much. Nothing brings me pleasure like classic Purple, Yes, Genesis, Sabbath at all...

Q. - In your opinion what are the main differences between the eighties and the reality of today?

Those days were so innocent, simple as that. MTV was the beginning of the death of music. All of a sudden, no video meant no opportunities for a band. Now, it's so much less about the music.

Q. - What do you think of this recent revival of the N.W.O.B.H.M., and all these bands reforming?

If I'm honest, I'm really not too keen on it. Rock n' roll is for young men, not old men who are going through the motions. You simply can't turn back the clock, can you? I have to be careful when I say this because so many of my friends are part of this trend. I guess it's OK for them but I have no interest in doing it. I will be bringing my friend Paul Gaskin and his band to Tokyo next year along with Tytan and Demon...so I guess that's fine for them.

Q. - How do you want to end up this interview? Anything more you want to say?

The NWOBHM has been such a huge part of my life, I have such great memories of it all. I brought Praying Mantis, Tank, my late friend Paul Samson and Trespass to Tokyo for probably the last real NWOBHM event in 1999. For me, that was it done and dusted. Everything else now is, for me, just nostalgia...and there's nothing wrong with that, is there?

Thank you for your time, and wish you all the best for the future!

Martin Bushell (Wildfire, Statetrooper)

 

Martin Bushell played guitar in Wildfire until the band split up in 1985, after that he played with Statetrooper until he left the band in 1987. He later worked as a studio engineer and producer of electronic music releases and as a songwriter appearing credited on pop releases. Here's a small chat with Martin:

 

Q. - Hello Martin, tell us a little bit about your beginnings in the hard rock and heavy metal world, who were your main influences, what lead you to be a guitar player?
Martin - I started at the age of 13. My brother was more interested in guitar than me. He got a guitar for Christmas but soon lost interest. I then took over on his guitar. My early influences were Ritchie Blackmore, Francis Rossi, Michael Schenker and Ulrich Roth.

Q. - When did you join forces with Paul Day to form Wildfire? How did that happen? Were you friends? How did Mausoleum's interest in releasing Wildfire happen?

Martin - Yes, we were friends. There was a good live scene at our local pub The Ruskin, the pub where Maiden started. Our first rehearsal was with Phil Collen (know him?) and his then drummer, Fred Zeppelin. We rehearsed a rock version of a Motown song, “Reach Out”.

That was the only rehearsal with that line up. Shortly after that, Paul and I wrote some songs together and recorded them with some more of my friends. He took the demos to friends in Brussels that he made from his More days. They introduced him to the newly formed Mausoleum Records. Mausoleum offered him a deal immediately. They weren’t aware that there wasn’t really a complete band, only me and Paul. When he got back, we started auditioning and found Bruce then Jeff and Jeff.

Q. - Why did you use the words of "Scarborough Fair" in the beginning of "If I Tried"?

Martin - That was Paul doing a microphone level test and warming up for a take. It sounded good so we kept it. A total accident really.

Q. - The second album "Summer Lightning" sounded more commercial than the first one, did you try a radio approach?

Martin - Yes, we soon became aware that there wasn’t enough money forthcoming from the record company to buy on to big tours. So, we thought we would have to have a radio-friendly single if we were going to succeed (and survive)

Q. - Was the single "Jerusalem" recorded thinking about a third LP?

Martin - Paul and I used to share a house in London and we always played strange kinds of music on car journeys to rehearsals etc. We both agreed that the song would make a good rock song (unaware that ELP had already tried it).

We also recorded it as a session on Radio 1’s Friday Rock show (it’s on Youtube somewhere).

It would have been a contender for a third LP, of course.

Q. - It surprises you that "Brute Force and Ignorance" and "Summer Lightning", still have so much acceptation these days?

Martin - Yes. Very surprised. Is that true?

Q. - In 1985 Paul Day joined Sweet and the rest of the band ended up joining Gary Barden in Statetrooper, how did that happen?

Martin - It didn’t happen in that order. The momentum had gone from Wildfire’s trajectory and Bruce joint Gary’s band as the drummer. Garry was managed by our manager. At about the same time, Gary had become disillusioned with his own guitarist and bass player. Don’t ask me why. The easiest solution was a “merger”.

That left Wildfire with the sad task of informing Paul. I’ll never forget that shameful day.

Q. - The Statetrooper debut album came up in 1987, and got some great review, how did you feel about that?

Martin - Statetrooper struggled to get a record deal but we had recorded quite a few demos. The album is a collection of those demos. Did it get good reviews? That’s cool.

Q. - You toured with Blue Öyster Cult around 1986, what memories do you keep from that tour?

Martin - I remember raiding BOC’s food everytime they went on stage. We were not very well paid!!   Also, I remember chatting to the guitar player that used to sit backstage, behind the Marshalls and play Eric Bloom’s guitar parts because Eric was so bad.

Q. - With a stable line up and a notable LP, why did you leave Statetrooper? What happened that lead to the break?

Martin - The momentum with Statetrooper began to slow after BOC tour. Not much writing. Not much money coming in.

The days of Statetrooper (as much as I loved the band) were notable to me as being very poor and not affording my rent. I had to get a day job. I told Gary and the management to call me with any news. Shortly after that I got a call to say I was sacked.

Q. - Did you keep in touch with all former members all over the years?

Martin - Yes, I speak to all of them. Especially Jeff Summers and Gary.

Q. - When did you start work as a studio engineer and producer?

Martin - 1989 I believe, although my first job at 16 was in a recording studio. Orange recording studios – yes, the same as the amp company.

Q. - Do you prefer to work as an engineer than playing in a band?

Martin - Well, the song writing part is great and that’s why I engineered, but playing in a band has always been my passion.

Q. - You are also credited as a songwriter appearing on pop releases, how did that happen?

Martin - I signed a deal with Zomba Music in 2002.

Q. - Which pop bands did you work with?

Martin - Back Street Boys, Nick and Aaron Carter.

Q. - One of the latest bands you've been is The Bears, tell us a bit about it please.

Martin - The Bears are a hard working covers band. We have been going since 2005 and have played literally thousands of gigs….. up until March this year because of “you know what”

Q. - Do you still keep an eye to the heavy metal or hard rock scene? Is there any band that you still like to listen?

Martin - I have listening to Mastodon today “Sultan’s Curse” love that… also Pigs Pigs Pigs “Cake of Light” … probably because it sounds like Sabbath 😊

My latest favourite band is Henge (not metal) “In Praise of Water”

Q. - How do you want to end up this interview? Anything more you want to say?

Martin - Yes. Always Use Your Powers for Good!

Thank you for your time, and wish you all the best for the future!

Chris Mann (Crucifixion)

 

Crucifixion were formed in Southend, Essex, England, in 1979. They recorded two singles, The Fox in 1980 and Take It or Leave It in 1982. Their last recording was the EP "Green Eyes" in 1984, having been released two compilations in 2019, "Anthology (1980-1984)" and "After the Fox". Here's a chat we had with bass player Chris Mann:

Q. - Hello Chris, how did your interest in heavy metal music start? Tell us a bit about the beginning of Crucifixion too, how did it all start?

Chris - We were all raised on Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, etc.  But when Iron Maiden hit the scene that was the catalyst to the birth of CRUCIFIXION.

Q. - How was it like, the heavy metal scene in Essex? Did you play regularly back then? Or was it hard for a heavy metal band to be booked in the area at that time?

Chris - There was a great metal scene in Essex.  Iron Maiden up the road in West Ham, Random Black, Switch Blade (Phil Hilborne’s first band), CRUCIFIXION and others.  There were several venues that liked rock bands including the legendary Ruskin Arms.

 

Q. - Do you recall the songs you were playing at the beginning? Did you play any covers too?

Chris - With the exception of Paranoid all the CRUCIFIXION were written by the band.

Q. - Do you keep any special memories from those live shows?

Chris - The obvious ones that stand out were the Top Alex, Ruskin Arms and Southend Cliffs Pavilion. Always great crowds.

Q. - Did the single "The Fox" have air play at that time on radio stations? And how was received by Crucifixion fans?

Chris - The Fox launched the band and sold out quickly. It was played occasionally on Essex Radio. It was picked up be Sounds Magazine and both side were at the top of their playlists. If was even higher than Whitesnake in the rock charts.

Q. - In 1982 you recorded a 5 song demo, did you sell these tapes at shows, or send it to fanzines?

Chris - Strangely no. We have them out to friends but used them to secure the second single deal with Neat Records.

 

Q. - Back in 84, when you recorded the "Green Eyes" EP, shouldn't have been a LP the wright step?

Chris - Neat didn’t offer us an album then.  They had a lot of artists and I don’t think they had the funds to produce an album then.

Q. - When did "Crucifixion" split up exactly? What happened that lead to the split?

Chris - Brother Pete and Glyn Morgan were often at each other’s throats!  After one particular bust up the band basically folded.

 

Q. - What do you think that lacked to "Crucifixion" to have a successful career?

Chris - We needed someone to help fund the band, a decent record deal.  Neat were pretty crap to be fair.  We never received a penny from them.  Lack of money kept us all in day jobs and stopped us fulfilling the bands potential.

 

Q. - Did you stay in touch with each others all over the years?

Chris - Only Glyn Morgan and I keep in touch. He owns and runs CHINNERYS, the best rock venue in Southend.

Q. - Did you play with Redline in the middle 80's? What do you recall from those days?

Chris - REDLINE arose from the split of CRUCIFIXION and Random Black. Mark Kirkman was their guitarist and together with Pete Morgan we formed the band. Gary was the singer in another local rock band THE EDGE and he joined soon after. We played a bunch of gigs, released a poor demo and then that fizzled out too.

 

Q. - And you've been playing with Beggar for a long time, what can you tell us about this project with Mark Kirkman?

Chris - Mark and I have known each other from the late 70s. In the mid to late 80s there was no place anymore on the music scene for original rock bands. That why, to keep playing, we formed a covers band. In one way shape or form we have been playing together for nearly 40 years.

Q. - What do you think of the recent reedition of the singles and compilations, now on CD? It surprises you it still have so much acceptation these days?

Chris - If only heavy metal labels were as cool as they are now we would have been far more successful back in the 80s. I’ve been involved in the new single and album releases and think they’ve produced great products.

Q. - Do you think these songs have stood the test of time?

Chris - I think a few have. High speed rock may be a bit dated but still has a place in anyone’s music collection.

Q. - With this recent revival of the N.W.O.B.H.M., will you try to reactivate Crucifixion?

Chris - CRUCIFIXION is dead and buried I’m afraid. I’m the only member still playing.

Q. - How do you want to end up this interview? Anything more you want to say?

Chris - CRUCIFIXION were young, inexperienced but full of energy and with the right management could have done much more. I think we started a little too late and missed the gravy train but nevertheless it was a blast!

Thank you for your time, and wish you all the best for the future!

Paul Ward (Bastille, Dianno)

Paul Ward joined the band Bastille, from Essex, around 79, and recorded a demo tape with them. Later joined ex Iron Maiden lead singer solo band, Dianno, and recorded the self-titled album in 1984 and the live DVD recorded at The Palace. Here’s the interview with guitarist Paul Ward:

Q. - Hello Paul! When did you join Bastille? Were you a founding member? Tell us a bit about the beginning of the band.

Paul - Bastille was already formed before I joined. It was a local band from my hometown and I joined just before they started to do shows in London and across the country. The driving force was Richard Bull on lead vocals. He hustled and got us all the gigs. That’s how we ended up playing at the Marquee club in London and built up a following.

Q. - How did the band name came up?

Paul - It was just one of those things that you pick. It wasn’t me who came up with it, as I said I joined the band later.

Q. - Did you start writing your own songs since the beginning or were you most concentrated on covers?

Paul - We did a lot of writing our own material, before I joined they has some original material, but were also doing covers like AC/DC’s Whole lot of Rosie. I knew that if we didn’t develop more material, we would never make it moving forward.

Q. - In 1979 a 3 song demo tape were recorded with the help of Adrian Smith and Andy Barnett. Was it your first experience in studio? Were you friends with Adrian and Andy? What do you recall from these recording season?

Paul - I really don’t remember Adrian and Andy being involved. Possibly it was before my time. Although I did record demos with the band. In those days we were all playing on the same circuit. Andy and Adrian had a band called Urchin, we all used to hang out with them. Nobody thought of being famous as such, we were all musicians doing our thing and mostly living in the moment.

It was the same during my Dianno days, we’d often have a beer with some of the maiden members (Adrian had joined by then) Phil Collen was in the same crowd of Musos, he was playing in a band called Girl then. He can to see the first Dianno gig at the Ruskin arms, which apparently was the largest audience the venue ever had.

Q. - The song "Hard Man" appeared on the compilation "New Electric Warriors", how did that happen?

Paul - That would have been Richards work. He would have talked someone into it. That riff, which was a Bastille original is very close to Iron Maidens 2 minutes to midnight which was released in 1984. ;-)

Q. - Was there any promotional tour after the release of this compilation?

Paul - Not to my knowledge??

Q. - Bastille did several gigs and festivals with bands such as Angel Witch, More, Trespass, or Samson, do you have any special from any of those shows?

Paul - My biggest memory was supporting Gary Moore at the Marquee in London. He was a massive influence on me, as he was for many others.

Q. - The 1980, 3 track demo, was recorded in order to find a record deal? Did you send the tape to record companies?

Paul - At the time there were so many bands out there. Our profile was quite good be pass we played a lot of gigs and worked hard. But no deal was forthcoming. Eventually it split up and band members went back to day jobs. I carried on in other bands. I formed a band called Rich Bitch with Electra McLeod from 12 night and Mick Ransome from Praying Mantis.  He was the one that introduced me to Paul Dianno.

Q. - What do you think that lacked to "Bastille" to have a successful career?

Paul - There were so many Rock bands at that time and when push come to shove I don’t think the personal commitment was there.

Richard was amazing though, he was the one who got us playing at proper venues and got us noticed.

Q. – What about Lonewolf? How did the band got together, did you know each other’s before?

Paul - As I mentioned earlier. Paul was looking to form a new band and Mick Ransom introduced me to him. Paul came over and we jammed together and we gelled immediately. The other members of the band were from an outfit called Minus Tirith. Paul wanted a keyboard player and they has a really good one. Mark Venables. Paul and I were both impressed with the band as a whole and Paul decided to hire the bass player (Kevin Browne) in the end the whole band got hired including Lee Slater on guitar. Great player and to this day we are good friends.

Q. - The name Lonewolf didn't last too much, did you change the name to Dianno, because of legal problems?

Paul - Some other band had the name it turned out, so we ditched it. Our management were keen to use Paul’s name as he had the most profile. Paul wasn’t keen but gave in.

Q. - Was there any plans for a second Dianno album before the band split up?

Paul - Yes, we had written some of the material.

I like to think Dianno was a good band with first class musicians and Paul was determined not to sound like Maiden, but the fans couldn’t really accept It. We toured the album in support slot with Thin Lizzy, which was amazing but after that things started to slide. I was the first to leave and it just fell apart.

Paul, Kevin and Mark tried to keep it alive with Janick Gers on guitar, but it was short lived and obviously he joined Iron Maiden.

Q. - Do you keep in touch with the former members of Bastille or Dianno?

Paul - Yeah sure. Not so much bastille guys, but with Dianno band members, we speak all the time.

Q. - In what other bands did you play after the end of Dianno? Tell us a bit about it please.

Paul - I stopped after that. Lee Slater and I did some session work, but I moved into a different career in the Sound side of things.

I still play a bit, but that’s for my own amusement really.

Q. - Do you keep an eye to hard rock and heavy metal music nowadays? Are there some bands that got your attention?

Paul - I like a vast variety of music, I’m not fixed on Heavy metal. I really like Killswitch engage though.

Q. - How do you want to end up this interview? Anything more you want to say?

Paul - Thanks for the opportunity, it was interesting and brought back some fantastic memories.

Thank you for your time, and wish you all the best for the future!

Greta Tate (Metal For Melbourne)

Greta Tate is well known for being the founder of the legendary metal music store Metal For Melbourne, and have been one of the biggest driving forces behind the Australian Heavy Metal scene, since its early days.

Q. - Hello Greta, tell us a little bit about you, how did your interest in hard rock and heavy metal music start?

Greta - Firstly let me start by thanking you Paulo for asking me to be a part of your Blog. Being born in the 50’s I was right into music by the time The Beatles came on the scene and as they grew musically, so did I. Come the late 60’s and 70’s I was into bands such as Cream, Ten Years After, The Yardbirds, Free, Humble Pie and the like. Then in 1970, the year I started work at Allans Music Store, which was a very large company back then, I heard the 1^st Black Sabbath album. I knew then that this is what I was looking for and since then I have never looked back. I must say here though, as my music tastes in Metal have changed through the years, my all time 2 favourite bands to this day are The Beatles and Black Sabbath.

Q. - During the 70s you worked at Allans Music, but do you remember how did the idea to open your own Metal Shop came up?

Greta - To be clear, Metal For Melbourne wasn’t my shop. I created it for a small (at the time) shop called Central Station Records who had a very small shop in Melbourne and a shop in the suburbs. I joined them in late 1979. In early 1980 my boss Joe Palumbo, started importing Dance music and it got so big so fast that he moved out into a bigger shop just upstairs from the small shop. I can remember looking up at his shop one Friday night and seeing it so busy and I was doing nothing. The next week I asked him if I could start changing the small shop into a Metal Shop. He said yes. By 1982 we were a totally heavy metal shop and my boss had opened more dance shops. I was the only Metal shop of his for 16 years. It wasn’t until 2 years ago that I now have the rights to Metal For Melbourne.

Q. - And how did the name Metal for Melbourne came up?

Greta - In 1981 I was talking to members of Taipan and I was going to put on a Metal Show, my 1^st one, and we came up with Metal For Melbourne. It wasn’t until 1987 that my boss suggested we change the name of the shop From Central Station Heavy Metal to MFM. By that stage I had put on 5 annual Metal Shows, the last being in 1986.

                                                    Greta with Rick from Blackjack 1985.

Q. - How was the Melbourne metal scene back in the day? Was it a united scene? How was the relations between the bands?

Greta - The Melbourne scene was awesome back then. So many bands and we had gigs every week. Most bands worked together, including with a lot of bands from Adelaide. They had a good scene over there as well and we often swapped bands. We played over there and their bands played in Melbourne. There were quite a few metal fans that would drive the 8 hours each way to see the bands. Adelaide and Melbourne were very united in their music back in the 80’s.

Q. - Did the bands play regularly in Melbourne back then or was it hard for a heavy metal band to be booked at that time?

Greta – Yes we had regular weekly gigs right through the 80’s, but most of them were in licensed venues such as pubs, which is the reason I started putting on annual Metal shows.

Q. - Do you remember the first show organized by you? How did the idea came up? And how did it go?

Greta – Yes. The 1^st MFM show was in 1981 with Taipan, Bengal Tigers and Formula. It went really well. Virtually the idea for MFM gigs came about because my younger customers didn’t get a chance to see these bands, so I thought we should have an All Ages show. So I had one annually up to and including 1986, although I missed having one in 1984. Each year audience base doubled in size and I also tried to get more bands on the bill. 1982 was Taipan, Ion Drive and Treason (Sydney), 1983 was Ion Drive, Taipan, Heresy (soon to be Nothing Sacred), Blackjack, 1984/85 was Axatak, Blackjack, Nothing Sacred, Prowler (soon to become Taramis) and Escape (Adelaide) and the final one was Nothing Sacred, Taramis, Blackjack, Tyrus, SAS and Renegade!
In 2016 my friends Sham (Nothing Sacred) and Rob (Abramelin and more!) asked me if they could put on a MFM for the 30^th anniversary of the last MFM gig in 1986. I said yes and so in Feb 2017 we had 11 bands with some reforming just for this gig, and some of those that reformed are still going now! The bands who played were Hobbs Angel of Death (RIP Peter Hobbs), Abramelin, Mass Confusion, Bengal Tigers, Persecution, Nothing Sacred, Ion Drive, Tyrus, Taramis, Renegade and Depression.

Sepultura Instore 1992

Q. - If I'm not wrong, Black Jack - Five Pieces of Eight, was your first release, in 1986, what memories does it bring to you?

Greta – No, Taipan was out first release back in 1981 or 1982. I was a 4 track 7’ which was later picked up and released as a 12” in the UK. Blackjack was next and Taramis albums (2) after that. If it had been my shop and label there would have been many more!

Q. - How did you convince them, since you didn't have any band in your label at that time?
Greta – They didn’t need convincing. The Metal shop worked closely with the local bands at the time, advertising their gigs and selling their demo’s etc, instore and on my monthly charts that were sent all over Australia. I counted many band members as my personal friends and am so grateful that they are still my friends today.

Q. - From the demo tapes that you received at the store, was there any that caught most your attention?

Greta – Too many to mention I’m afraid!

Q. - Do you feel you were, somehow, the dynamic force behind the Australian Heavy Metal scene, on its early days?

Greta – I certainly didn’t back then, but since the emergence of social media, so many of my old customers have told me how much the Metal Shop changed their lives. You have no idea how happy that makes me.

Q. - Do you think that the long distance between Australia and Europe was an obstacle for the bands to have a better recognition?

Greta – I have said right from the beginning that Australian Metal Bands were at such a disadvantage contrary to their international counterparts. Australia was and still is in a lot of cases, so isolated from the rest of the world. Back then, travel from Australia was very expensive as was travelling within Australia State to State and Australia is a huge Continent. We didn’t get many International Metal Bands out here back then either, due to promoters not wanting to take a chance and the expense of bands travelling here, unlike today. Mind you it worked well in another way and that is the Distinctive Aussie Metal sound that most of our bands had and still have!

Q. - Do you keep in touch with the majority of the bands (former members) that you released?

Greta – After the shop shut and 25 years on, I can honestly say that the majority of my friends are from back then, band members and old customers alike and also newer metal friends such as their kids and younger Metal Heads who have heard about the shop. Very heart warming!

Q. - Were there any bands that you used to follow on tour, at that time? Or bands that caught your attention?

Greta – The tour that I remember the most (other than seeing Black Sabbath here in 1973) was Iron Maiden-Number of the Beast tour. I was lucky enough to catch quite a few shows and also I loved their support band Heaven (RIP Allan & Kelly) who were from Adelaide but based in Sydney. That was an excellent tour!

Q. - Which bands were most in demand in your store? Both nationally and internationally?

Greta – Oh wow.....So so many and all different eras.....Iron Maiden, Saxon, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Crimson Glory, Manowar, Queensryche.....I could go on! lol

Q. - Are there any funny moments that you can share with us?

Greta – I know there were but I can’t think of any off hand!

Q. - How do you see the heavy metal scene nowadays? Are there any bands that you still like to listen?

Greta – I still love a lot of the older metal bands and keep up with them in general, but really love Amorphis at the moment and locally, Sithlord (Melbourne) Abramelin’s new album and again the list could go on!

Q. - Do you try to keep the eighties heavy metal spirit alive?

Greta – I still play my cd’s old and new metal. And I’m still old school as I much prefer to have the hard copy in my hand!!

Q. - What other activities, related to heavy metal, do you have besides Metal for Melbourne?

Greta – Nothing really. Loved going to Metal gigs, but that’s on hold due to COVID 19. Just bringing out Metal For Melbourne merchandise, as I now have the rights.

Q. - And what can you tell us about future plans?

Greta – To keep breathing and keep listening to Metal!

Q. - How do you want to end up this interview? Anything more you want to say?

Greta - I would just like to thank you again and thanks for your interest in our Aussie Metal Scene and I hope your readers don’t get too bored! \m/

Thank you for your time, and wish you all the best for the future!

Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell - Give Em Hell / Gettin Heavy

Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell launches a new single in August 15 by the name of 'Give Em Hell'

Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell is an official Witchfynde band formed by original Witchfynde bassist and founding member, Andro Coulton (also in Malleus). Andro is joined in the band by his wife, Shaz Coulton, on Rhythm Guitar (also in Malleus); Gee Harliquin on Lead Guitar; Micky Dietz on Drums (also in Rampant); and Lead Singer, Tee Rets (also in Rampant).

Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell began life in the Summer of 2019 after Andro had been urged to start a 'Witchfynde' band to bring his heritage back to global audiences.

The single, scheduled for August 15, 2020 release, includes two songs, 'Give Em Hell' and 'Gettin Heavy'. It is the band's 40th anniversary release and is available both on CD and as Bandcamp download.

Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell is currently working on a full album and has a UK Summer 2021 tour scheduled with fellow NWOBHM bands, Rampant and Malleus.

You can also find new t-shirts, releases and other merchandise on their official web page:

Web Page: http://www.androcoulton.com/

And you can keep up with the band and its news on their official Facebook page:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Witchfynde